Symmetry and Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 47

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Helmholtz Research Academy Hesse for FAIR (HFHF), GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Physics, Campus Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
2. Institute of Theoretical Physics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Interests: heavy flavor; quarkonium; high-energy proton-proton; relativistic heavy-ion collisions; high energy physics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The production of light nuclear clusters and hypernuclei in relativistic heavy-ion collisions offers a unique window into the dynamics and thermodynamic conditions of strongly interacting matter. In the extreme environment created under such collisions, baryons and hyperons are abundantly produced and can coalesce into loosely bound states at the late stages of the system’s evolution. Light nuclei, such as deuterons, tritons, and helium isotopes, provide sensitive probes of the freeze-out conditions, baryon density fluctuations, and collective flow patterns. Hypernuclei extend these studies into the strangeness sector, allowing access to the hyperon–nucleon and hyperon–hyperon interactions that are otherwise difficult to measure in free space. Measurements of their yields, momentum spectra, and lifetime distributions not only test statistical and coalescence production models but also constrain the equation of state of dense matter, with implications for astrophysical systems such as neutron stars. Recent high-precision experiments at RHIC, LHC, and upcoming facilities like FAIR, NICA, and HIAF promise to deepen our understanding of cluster and hypernucleus formation mechanisms, enabling stringent tests of QCD matter under extreme conditions and providing critical input for the description of strangeness-rich baryonic matter.

Dr. Jiaxing Zhao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • relativistic heavy-ion collisions
  • nuclear clusters
  • hypernuclei
  • equation of state
  • strong force

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop